The Collector
by Dont-Eat-My-Pie
Summary: The Collector is the new bad guy out there and he's looking for the perfect parts of you to steal. What happens When he kidnaps the people closest to Peter?  Will get a gory in future chapters.
1. You're Perfect

Short, but I hope it gets to the point. Next chapter will be looonger. :):)

"He takes the parts of the person be believes are the 'perfect' parts." Peter spoke from over the case file.

"So, he's collecting human body parts... Creepy." Neil answered.

"so far he's taken hair, teeth and a tongue. He never kills his victims. Just takes what he wants and lets them go… "

"Depending on what he wants next. He might want a heart."

"I don't know." He closed the file and looked up at Neil. "Time for you to go."

"Art show… Got it."

.

.

Ell took Neil by the arm as they walked around the expedition. "Tell me this isn't the most amazing piece of work you've seen."

"I could do a better version…" Neil smirked.

"Mm, I bet you could."

"Are you babysitting me?"

"Not at all. Peter said you might need some company so here I am."

"Thank you. You're a good friend."

"I know, I know."

After two solid hours of drinking and looking at art they decided it was time to go home. She pulled Neil's arm as they walked down the street.

"It's a nice day out today." Ell smiled.

"It is, but I'm afraid I can't go any further unless you take this thing off me." Neil answered as he showed his tracker to her.

She looked around. They were just at the edge of the park about a two street walk from her house. "Oh, okay, You go home, I'll walk from here… "She paused. "Neil do you know him?"

Out of nowhere a sharp prick stuck into Neil's neck. He pulled back, grabbing his neck as he stumbled backwards.

"What was that?" He choked.

"Shh…" A man holding a syringe answered. His face was covered by a hate and his body with a long trench coat.

"Ell, run!"

She hesitated, not wanting to leave Neil on his own, but it was already too late. The man had her in his arms. One hand around her neck the other over her mouth. He quickly stuck a needle into her neck and let her go. She turned to face the man who was slouched over Neil, who was lying helplessly on the grass.

"Who are you?" She could feel herself getting drowsy.

"Shh…"

She fell to her knees.

The man picked Neil up and threw him into a car parked just at the street, as if it was waiting for them. He picked up Ell shortly after and threw her in alongside Neil. He noticed the tracking device. After studying it closely he cut it quickly and jumped into the car. He and drove as fast as possible and it didn't take long before he had his two new victims.

Neil forced his mouth to move before he felt himself drift off to sleep. "What…Do you want?"

The man turned slightly. "You're perfect."


	2. He'll Get Here

Neil's eyes opened but nothing appeared. It didn't take long to realise that he was blindfolded. His mouth was duct taped shut and his hands were tied by his sides. He wriggled his toes but that's all he could do, his ankles were tied down.

The only thing he could think of was Elizabeth, where she was and if she was alive. He struggled at the binds on his arms. If he could wriggle free, he could find Ell ad get them both out of wherever there were.

Footsteps echoed and the very noise made Neil stop. A cold finger ran against his arm, chilling him to the bone. He muffled words through the tape on his mouth.

"Shh, everything is going to be alright." The man hushed.

His voice sounded smooth and relaxing but somehow he could only feel stress. "He muffled something else.

"I'll take it off, just stay quite. Do you understand?"

He nodded.

The man took the tape from his mouth.

"Could you… Take the blindfold off?" He whispered.

"Shh…" He removed the blindfold and Neil blinded a bit. The man was smiling down at him, he looked relatively normal compared to what he thought this pycho would look like. He moved his eyes around the room and it was soon revealed that Ell was lying right next to him. Her mouth taped but her eyes staring straight at him. He felt a little part of him sink deep inside him.

"Take that off her mouth… Please…"

He nodded with a smile and took the tape from her mouth.

"Neil!" She coughed.

"Its okay Ell, Everything gonna be okay." Neil answered, trying to stay as calm as possible.

"I'll tell you what's going to happen." The man stood between the two prisoners. "You both have something I want…" He looked at Elisabeth, you have perfect fingernails and toe nails…"

Ell started crying. She couldn't hold it in. "Peter!" She cried.

"Ell, it's okay don't worry. Everything is gonna be okay." Neil tried to comfort her.

"And you…" He looked at Neil. "You have beautiful eyes…"

Neil felt his heart sink. He was gonna take his eyes, he would be blind… "No… take my nails…"

Ell looked confused.

"You want me to take your nails and her eyes?" The man asked.

Ell felt betrayed.

"No, I want you to take my nails and my eyes. Leave her alone, just let her go, take me instead." Neil bargained.

He frowned. "Let me see." He took Neil's hand and examined his hands. "Perfect, I see you take care of them." He moved down to his toes. "Yes, you take care of your body very well. I will accept your request but I will allow her to go when I'm done with you. You will both leave at the same time."

"I don't want her to watch!" Neil answered.

"She will stay here or I will not accept your request."

He looked over at Ell.

"Neil, don't do this…" She sobbed. She couldn't believe he was giving himself up for her, deep down he was a loving guy and she would have to watch him suffer.

"It's okay… Just close your eyes." Neil answered.

She nodded, tears falling from her eyes. He wanted to wipe them away but he couldn't.

"Good, Let me begin." The man pulled a few things from a bag around his neck. He moved closer to Neil, pulling at his eyelid and dropping a few eye drops into his eyes. "I must have them cleaned and perfect. He moved down to his fingernails. He painted a clear polish on them "they must be protected, perfect." After he had finished both his fingers and his toes he looked up at his prisoners. I will let you both go tomorrow after the surgery. He moved out of the room taking all the things he had brought.

Neil couldn't bring himself to look at his friend. He was sick from fear and didn't want Ell to see any of it.

"Neil, please talk to me…"

He looked over at her, he was sure fear covered his face. "Everything is gonna be okay, you'll see. Peter will come. When he gets here we'll both be fine." He looked back at the roof. "He'll get here."


	3. Time

It had been the 4th day since the love of his life and his good friend Neal had been missing. He knew he was never going to give up until he found his wife and he would never let this sicko get the best of him.

Peter visited the park where Neal's anklet was cut off. 'He didn't run.'

'How do you know?' Diana asked doubtfully.

'Because I know. My wife was with him and she's missing too.' The pain hit him when he finally realized the depth of this situation. The collector must have had them. It was the only explanation. Pain surged through his chest at the thought of his wife being subjected to any pain. He'd find them before it was too late.

'We'll find them.' Jones urged.

'I know.' Peter answered.

.

.

They headed back to the office where Mossie was waiting. 'He didn't run.'

'I know Mossie.' Peter answered.

'No, he didn't! I know Neal and he wouldn't leave like this without a goodbye, without so much as a 'take care' and…'

I said I know Mossie.'

He paused. 'Oh, good. Well how are we gonna find him and your wife of course!'

'We' are not going to do anything. I'm going to figure this out.'

'I'm not backing down. He's my best friend.'

'And she's my wife!'

'Neal will take care of her! I know he will!'

Peter sighed. His heart ached. All he wanted was to hold his wife in his arms. She was everything to him and now she was in the hands of a ruthless sadist! 'I know.'

**Real quick chapter but ill upload the next one straight away :):) Tell me what you think of both chapters please :D**


	4. Strike One, Strike Two

It had been four days, or at least they thought it had been four days. Every day was the same. The Collector would come down the stairs and paint Neal's finger nails and his toe nails with a clear glossy paint and after he was done, he would apply two drops of liquid into each of his eyes. He'd drug them and allow them to go to the bathroom. But the drugs in his system made it impossible to fight his capture. They were beginning to think that this was going to go on forever but they knew what was about to happen. The collector has said 'tomorrow' would be the day and sure enough, the night had come and gone.

"He'll be coming down today." Neal swallowed hard.

"Yeah… I know…" Ell answered. Her voice was shaky and nervous.

"I…" He hesitated. "I want your face to be the last I see… Not his."

Ell broke down. Tears streamed from her eyes. The past few days had been too much. Watching as Neal was being prepared for his doom and there wasn't a thing she could do. Only lay there and wait for it to all be over.

"Hey, don't do that. I wanna see your smile. I told Pete I'd look after you, and that's what I'm doing. I don't regret a thing. You just have to stay strong for me… for the both of us."

"I'm sorry…" She sobbed. "I just can't believe this is happening. You don't deserve this."

He chuckled. "No one does. But what you have to remember is, whether Peter gets here in time or not, were gonna get out of here."

She nodded.

"And I wanna see that smile before… you know."

She forced a smile as best she could.

"See? When he comes…" He paused. "I want you to shut your eyes. Don't let him get the best of you."

"Okay…"

"Good…" He paused as he heard the sound of footsteps moving down the stairs once more. The Collector soon appeared.

"It's time." His voice hovered over Neal. He placed a black bag on a side table just beside his victim and began unpacking his tools. Each tool looked more and more terrifying.

"You gonna give me anything for the pain?" Neal felt his heart begin to race. The time had come but it all felt too soon.

"Sorry, I don't have anything except for what I need." He answered coldly.

"Well what about what I need huh?" Neal felt himself panicking but he couldn't control it. He shook without control and fidgeted without thinking.

"I have what I have alright?"

"Please…" He could feel the blood pumping through his veins.

"I'm sorry." He took Neal's hand gently and carefully examined it. "Yes, their ready." He picked up a long thin silver tool from the table. Its tip was flat and sharp. The Collector pressed the end underneath the end of Neal's index finger's nail and pressed it harder until he was lifting the nail right off.

A bellow of pain coursed through Neal's hand, sending him stiff. He crushed his teeth together as hard as he could and let out a deep moan. It was like nothing he had felt in his entire life! Like nothing anyone should ever feel. He squeezed his eyes shut as tightly as possible and crushed his other hand into a fist.

"There we go." The Collector's voice sounded. He lifted the now removed nail in his fingers and examined it carefully. "Perfect." He placed it into a small box he had placed on the table. "Next…"

"God, please! Give me something for the pain!" Neal begged. He opened his eyes and looked over at Ell who was closing her eyes tight and sobbing to herself.

"I don't have anything." He answered bluntly as he began to press the tool into Neal's middle finger nail causing him to cry out in agony.

"Give him something for the pain!" Elizabeth shrieked. This was all too much to bear.

Neal looked at her through deep breaths. "Hey you..." He tried to talk though the pain was causing his voice to change pitches. "I'm fine, just… God!" He could feel his second nail being pulled off. He groaned. "Just stay strong!" He felt his voice rise slightly.

"Next…"

.

.

"Last one…"

"Thank God…" Neal could barely feel his hands anymore. The throbbing pain had become too much. His fingertips numbed at the cold touch of The Collector. It had become a system now. First came the fear, second came the stinging, then came the throbbing and then came the numbness. Unfortunately each of those steps lasted longer than could be tolerated.

"There we go." He smiled at Neal. "Now I can start on your toes…"

A feeling of utter sickness passed through Neal's body at those words. His first set of agony had finished but he still had two more sets to go. His head went fuzzy and sure enough he felt himself passing out.

.

.

Neal's eyes opened at the sudden burst of pain that jolted through his foot. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. Only a gasping noise and a deep dry cough. Soon enough his throat caught up and a thick moan escaped his lungs.

"Number one is done, nine more to go and were through." The Collector grinned.

Neal looked over at Ell again. Her eyes were focused on the ceiling while her hands were clenched into tight fists. She looked over at Neal who was staring at her.

"I wasn't out for long?" He croaked.

"A few moments." She whispered.

"You keep your eyes on the ceiling and your mind…" His words were interrupted by his deep, painful groan. He opened his eyes only to see Ell staring at him with wide terrified eyes. "Eyes on the ceiling!" He yelled. But she didn't move her gaze. "Eyes on the ceiling!" He tried once more but she stayed frozen to his face. "Ell! Please! Put your eyes on the ceiling!" She snapped out of it and moved her eyes so she was staring directly above her.

"How can you be so cruel?" She whispered after a moment.

"What was that?" The Collector asked.

"I said, how can you be so cruel?" This time she was yelling, but her eyes never left the ceiling.

"I'm creating something beautiful!" He answered back as he pressed the tool against the next nail.

"You're disgusting!" She growled back.

"Ell, stop please…" Neal panted. "Everything's going to be over soon."

Elizabeth took a deep, painful breath and then exhaled slowly.

As the collector pulled up the next nail Neal attempted to mask the pain by closing his mouth and holding his breath, though no noise came out he ended up feeling light headed and his vision became hazy. This would all be over soon.

.

.

"There, and were done." The Collector sighed.

Neal took short, heavy breaths in and out. It was over. But that was only step two. Step three would be the hardest of all. The Collector was going to take his eyes. The pain he was about to feel was nothing compared to the fear he felt of being blind. Never seeing another painting, never looking upon another beautiful woman and never being able to see the sun again. He really didn't realize how much all of those things meant to him until this very moment. But this was happening. There was no escaping and there was nowhere to hide. All he could do was wait…


	5. Ler me see you

Neal shook hard but there was really nothing that could be done. He was strapped down tightly and there was no way of escape. He would say goodbye to his vision and goodbye to everything that made him who he was.

The collector took a few toolsfrom his bag and held them up high. It was all too much for Ell. She began crying hysterically, tears streaming down her face.

Neal looked over at her; pain was the only thing that coursed through his body. 'Hey, Ell…' He started, trying hard to keep his face even.

She looked at him, still crying uncontrollably, her eyes bloodshot and her cheeks drenched in tears.

'I wanna see your smile remember, that's what I want to see before…' He paused, unwilling to say the words. 'Show me your smile, please.' Anything to make her stop crying, he thought... He would clench his teeth and bare the pain if he had too but he could not see her cry. Ell had been so good to him, so fair to him. She had always given him the benefit of the doubt and it hurt him to see her suffer. Since the moment he met her she had been such a bubbly, beautiful woman. This was not what he wanted for his final moments of vision. He wanted her smile back.

She stopped crying, trying to control her face and her emotions. Taking in a deep breath, she looked at him and he was smiling at her. He looked scared but he looked ready for what was about to happen. It was enough to send her back into hysterics but she fought that feeling. She wouldn't let him down, she would smile, even if it was just to see him smile back at her. So she forced a smile on her face, though the tears continued to fall.

'That's what I want to see.' He smiled back but it soon faded when he saw the collector staring at him.

'Time to finish this.' He injected a muscle relaxant into Neal's arm, causing his entire body to relax quite quickly. He then pulled Neal's eyelid up and got ready to scoop out his eye…

'Freeze scumbag!' Peters voice boomed through the small room.

Neal's eyes flickered towards the door. Peter was standing at the stairs with his gun raised high. 'Oh my God.' It was hard for him to talk, but he managed to get the words out clear enough. A feeling of relief fueled his body.

Ell looked up at Peter, a smile covered her face, but it was mixed with fear for her husband. 'Peter!' She called, desperate to hold him in her arms again.

'Put the knife down and step away or I will not hesitate to shoot you. Do not test me.' Jones stood behind Peter with his gun also raised to fire.

'You don't understand!' The collector hissed. 'I'm making something beautiful! It's ART!'

'It's not art, it's an abomination! Now put the knife doww NOW!'

'No!' He flipped the knife so that it was now in his hand tightly. He raised his arm, getting ready to stab Neal but before he could move even a centimeter closer, two shots entered the old man's chest. He fell to the floor.

It only took Peter a moment to get to his wife, pulling her free and wrapping her in his arms. Ell cried once she felt the embrace of her husband. 'I knew you'd come!' She tried to breathe through the tears.

'I would never give up. I love you Ell.'

Jones untied Neal as quickly as possible. 'Ah Peter, We need a medic here now!' He picked up his radio and called for an ambulance.

'Go!' Ell said as Peter looked over at his friend. He clearly wanted to see him and as much as Ell wanted to hold him all night, she pushed him to Neal's side.

He raced over to see Neal lying still on the table. 'You okay? Can you move?' He looked down at his hands and noticed the nails had been removed along with his toes. 'I was too late!'

'No…' Neal strained. 'Just in time.' He looked over slowly at Ell who was making her way towards him, tears still in her eyes.

She grabbed him tight and hugged him tightly. 'Thank you Neal…' She whispered in his ear, running her fingers through his hair.

'I'd do it again. I'm just glad you're alright.' He answered.

'Did the collector hurt you? Do you need an ambulance too?' Peter asked his wife.

'No, not at all. I'll explain everything later.' she smiled, wiping another tear from her blue eyes.

When the ambulance arrived Neal was taken to the hospital for the night. Ell was allowed to return home under strict orders from the doctor that Peter watch her closely but Ell didn't want to leave the hospital without seeing Neal.

Ell and Peter walked into the hospital room where Neal would spend the night. His eyes flashed towards them and a smile lit his face. 'It's about time you two came to visit. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me.'

'How could we ever forget about you?' Peter asked, a little sarcastic, but in good humor.

Neal stretched out his arm for Ell to come closer, his hands wrapped in white bandages. 'It's good to see you smiling again.' He added.

Ell pulled him in for a hug, almost refusing to let him go. 'You were so brave, I'll never be able to thank you more…' She looked him up and down. 'Don't you ever change.'

'I don't plan too.' Neal gave her a wink to which she laughed.

Ell grabbed Peters hand for a moment before heading to the door. 'I'll leave you guys alone for a minute.'

Peter smiled at her. 'Thanks hun.' He looked back at Neal who looked very tired. 'How are you feeling?'

'Not so bad, better than before. Has anyone ever told you that you have impeccable timing?' He grinned.

'I have been told that before.' Peter replied. 'Ell told me what you did for her.' He paused. 'I will never be able to thank you properly…'

'There's no need.' Neal answered. 'I was just looking out for her like I know you would have.'

'Still, she's my wife and she's my everything. I want you to know how much this means to me and…' He chuckled. 'Thank you.'

'It's alright. Thank you for saving my life.' Neal smiled.

'You're a good man, and a good friend. I'm glad to have you back.' And speaking of back…' Peter smirked. 'I got you a new anklet.' He held it up proudly.

'Really? I've only been back for a few hours!'

'I know, think of it as a welcome home present.' He grinned as he clipped it onto Neal's leg. 'Don't you feel at home already?'

'Oh yeah, definitely feels like home.' He chuckled.


End file.
